She never used to interrupt their arguments. She would sit by and sip her tea in silence, or fiddle with the zipper of her dress. She never dared step between them for fear that she would lose something, someone.
Now she is older. Now she is wiser. Now she accepts little without reason, does not tolerate cruel and unnecessary words.
Kakashi watches with interest, this particular argument. The boys bicker. Sakura eats her dinner; a meager soup she prepared herself. Her face reflects a serenity that does not sit well with him. It is the calm before a storm.
She finishes her meal, sets the bowl beside her pack, and walks over to the boys. She reaches down and picks up their dishes as well. They pay her no attention, thinking she is falling into her past role as the quiet one, the sweet one, the weak one who sits on the sidelines and watches others fight, come to collect the flatware like the good little girl she always was.
But Kakashi knows.
They ignore the enemy as she lifts a weapon. They deserve the ambush they receive. It is satisfying to hear their surprised shouts when she, without warning, smashes the finely-crafted ceramic onto their hard heads.
The bowls are ruined. The fight is over.
The boys grumble and lick their wounds.
The kunoichi saunters away, victorious.
Much has changed. Sasuke and Naruto paid her no attention; they did not notice.
But Kakashi saw.
A/N: Well, it's been a while since I've written for this fandom. Hope you liked it. More to come. Soon I hope. :)